Promises from GOP wannabes

The 2012
slate of Republican candidates is shaping up to be one of the most interesting
and bizarre in recent history, and I'm unsure whether I should be hoping the
most outrageous candidate, or the most reasonable, makes it to the November
2012 ballot. While the most outrageous candidate would presumably have the
smallest chance of winning, the risk is that a last minute October surprise
could put him or her into office. Conversely, the risk of a Republican candidate
perceived as more reasonable is that they could actually win.

Newt
Gingrich recently explained away his multiple affairs by saying that during his
life things happened that were not appropriate as a result of "how passionately
he felt about this country." As if that weren't unbelievable enough, when
questioned about the apparent hypocrisy of being one of Bill Clinton's main
detractors during the Monica Lewinsky affair of the 1990's while he himself was
having affairs, Newt pointed out that the situation is "complex," something
almost unilaterally considered bad by Republicans, often critical of Democratic
"nuance" when explaining issues.

Gingrich
also expressed concern that the United
States could be "a secular atheist country,
potentially one dominated by radical Islamists." On a recent David Pakman Show
broadcast, my producer and I could barely get through this hilarious
suggestion, which brings up the obvious question of why radical Islamists, a
group accused in the neoconservative narrative of being willing to kill and die in the name of religion, would allow the country they take over to turn to
secular atheism.

Former
Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum recently suggested that the Social Security
system would be in much better shape if it were not for abortion -- that is, if
there had been less recent abortions, there would be enough workers paying into
the Social Security system to easily cover the benefits increasingly drawn by
retiring Baby Boomers. Santorum, who unsuccessfully tried to insert language
seeking to promote the teaching of intelligent design into George W. Bush's No
Child Left Behind Bill, added that the nation's "abortion culture" combined
with policies that "do not support families" deny America the increased number
of workers it needs to support Social Security. This is confusing logic to me,
because along these same lines couldn't one suggest that more abortions 60
years ago would have prevented having as many Baby Boomers retiring today?

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Former
Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former pizza mogul Herman Cain have both
made it clear they would not have Muslims in their respective Presidential
cabinets. At an event hosted by Congressman Steve King in Iowa recently, Cain
said "no, I will not" when asked if he would be comfortable appointing a Muslim
to either his cabinet or as a federal judge. Romney said about as much to
Mansoor Ijaz at a fundraiser in Las Vegas several years ago.

Former
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has decided he is comfortable participating in
anti-gay radio programs, joining Bryan Fischer on the American Family
Association broadcast, and taking the opportunity to mention that he supports
reinstating Don't Ask Don't Tell, the recently-repealed policy which prevented
gay and lesbian members of the military from being open about their sexual
orientation. Pawlenty's willingness to appear on such programs shows the severe
double standard that exists when it comes to gay rights. Republican candidates
would not have an easy time explaining appearances on openly racist media
outlets, but are able to get a pass from their peers when it comes to anti-gay
media.

Donald
Trump, who stands no real chance of winning the nomination, has come out of the
closet as a birther, asking questions about Barack Obama's birth certificate, and
even going so far as to release his own birth certificate, only to find out he
released the wrong document, later providing a different one as "proof
of" something. The real question Republicans should be asking Trump is whether
he still supports the one-time 14.25% tax on "the rich" that he proposed in
1999, designed to wipe out the national debt.

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While much of what we've heard of
the candidates has been hard to believe -- outrageous, and downright bizarre -- April 1st has come and gone, and we have not been let in on any
joke. With millions still to be spent, countless debates to be had, and
innumerable distortions and misrepresentations to be made, it's shaping up to
be a fascinating 2012 election.

In addition to the narratives mentioned above
the ones still to be created, I'm curious to see how Republicans will address
Barack Obama and national security. For years, the conservative discourse has
been that Democrats will hesitate to use military force, but given Barack
Obama's sending of tens of thousands of additional troops to Afghanistan -- shortly
after winning the Nobel Peace Prize -- and getting the US military involved
quickly in the Libyan conflict, that narrative will certainly have to change.

David Pakman is the host of The David Pakman Show, an internationally syndicated progressive talk radio and television program airing on over 110 stations across 4 countries, on DirecTV, DISH Network, and across the web on a hugely popular podcast (more...)